NTA loses former anchor to death

Renowned Nigerian broadcaster, news anchor, and media consultant Joy Osiagwu has passed away.

Reports confirm that Mrs. Osiagwu died last Friday at Arewa Hospital in Jabi, Abuja, following a brief illness.

She was a distinguished former employee of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), where she dedicated over two decades of her life to journalism, both in Nigeria and North America.

Osiagwu’s career was marked by her versatility as a news anchor, reporter, producer, videographer, and film editor. She worked alongside this reporter at the National Assembly, where they both covered Senate proceedings for their respective media organizations. Her reporting extended beyond Nigerian borders, serving as the NTA’s correspondent at the Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa, Canada, and later at Nigeria’s Mission to the United Nations in New York.

For nearly a decade, Osiagwu covered high-profile diplomatic events, including Nigeria’s rotational presidency of the UN Security Council under Ambassador Joy Ogwu in 2010, 2011, and 2015. Her notable international coverage also included the United Nations Global Compact for Migration summit in Marrakech, Morocco, in 2018, as well as the election of Professor Tijjani Bande as the 74th President of the UN General Assembly in June 2019.

Her academic accomplishments were equally impressive. Osiagwu held a Master’s in Business Administration and Media Leadership from the University of Cumbria in the United Kingdom, a post-graduate diploma in broadcast performing arts from Columbia Academy in Vancouver, Canada, and a Bachelor’s degree in Drama with a focus on Theatre for Development from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. She was also a member of the Institute for Leadership and Sustainability (IFLAS) at Cumbria Business School.

After 23 years with the NTA, Osiagwu retired voluntarily in September 2019 to pursue consultancy in media and communication. Her contributions to Nigerian journalism and her unwavering dedication to the field will be remembered by many.